CNN is reporting that a majority of Republicans will not be attending their upcoming retreat because, one, they hate each, which is understandable, but inexcusable; and, two, because the retreat is at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, which is in the middle of nowhere, which is understandable and totally excusable.
The nearest airport is Roanoke, which I’m sure is a nice airport, just as I’m sure the resort is a perfectly nice place, but do you have any idea how hard it is to get there? From most airports you’re looking at one or two stopovers and maybe 8-10 hours of travel. For a two-day retreat. With people you hate. No wonder they preferred Kevin McCarthy’s retreat in at-least-the-weather’s-nice Florida, not the meth capital of America.
Of course, the question is, why did Speaker Johnson choose the Greenbrier for the retreat? He says it’s because it’s “family friendly,” which I suppose means he thinks (mistakenly) it’s so remote there are no strip clubs nearby like in every town in Florida. That said, it does host gay weddings, so I’m confused. The only thing I can think of is that the Greenbrier was an internment camp for enemy diplomats during WWII, and I can Johnson wanting to remind his colleagues what could await them in a new Trump Reich if they fall out of line. Or maybe it’s the falconry academy .
In any event, what a message Republicans are sending: they’re rejecting the very type of rural area they claim to represent, they’re rejecting each other, they’re rejecting Johnson, and they’re saying they’re out for themselves. Totally on brand.